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SUGGESTION OF PLANTS

Hi Brad and Judy,

I don't have too much time to answer adaquately suggestions for you,
but will list some of my favorites and also suggest that some shade
books , catalogs and the web might supply some pics for you to take a
look at.
I live in Gloucester Ma at zone 6.5  and am speaking mostly of light,
moderate, dappled shade, not DEEP shade!

Ajuga, ground cover with wonderful spikes of flowers in the spring.
Favorites are  Caitlins Giant, deep burgandy foliage and the largest
of spikes, the variagated leaves of Purple Brocade, or others.  Hard
to clean up leaves with a rake with these.

Aquilegia, many forms,but I like the large flowered- they are showier
when clumped also.  Music Blue and Music Red and Yellow are favorites.
  White also looks nice in dark corners

Astilbes, not only flower, but the leaves remind me of ferns.  Again,
I like the mass effect.  Many sizes, boom seasons and color of
foliage as well as flowers.

Campanula takesmania is my favorite ground cover.  started from seeds
from T and M.  Shiny heart shaped leaves with bells that are creamy
with burgandy spots on the inside.  I love it!

Sweet Cicely, fernlike foliage about 2 ft high, flowers like Queen
Annes Lace, and then black long seedheads late in the season.
Another must have!

Corydalis, the yellow native to here, or else if you can the Blue
Panda, which is sometimes not hardy.  Great lacy foliage and they
flower ALL season

Cynoglossum, self seeds and is the summer forget me not

Dicentra, Bleeding Heart.  both the large old fashioned one (which
disappears completly in the summer) or the ones that I like best -
the exemias. They are shorter, have greylike lacy foliage and bloom
all summer.

Digitalis, foxgloves.  If you are introducing these for the first
time, and have no others around, try a special one, like white, or
apricot and when they self seed, most of the time you can keep the
color.  also the strawberry one which sometimes does stay perennially,
 Mortenensis, or mortensia?  Others like lutea, and lanata with
smaller yellow flowers are nice.

Feverfew, self seeds, with little white daisy flowers,  Will bloom
all season.  The gold foliage one is nice even when not in bloom, and
the all white daisy button is nice

Geraniums.  Perennial. If I could suggest one very underutilized
wonderful plant group.  Easy to get now too.  some clumps get 3x3 and
some like Ballerina, are teeny weeny must haves

Heucheras, newer larger flowered ones, like Rhaspberry splash (i
think) and the purple leaves and splotched or veined ones are of
great leaf interest.

Heucherellas, part H and part Tiarella,  Great newer ground covers -
not invasive.  Nice foliage, some blossoms of white or light pink

Ligularia, Desdemona,  has dark large and interesting leaves

Lunaria, variegated form with white flowers are different and very
early spring bloomers

Lychnis coronara, the old rose campion which now also has blush
colored flowers.  Biennials, mostly

Monarda does spread and get fairly tall, but you might have a place
for it.  Get the mildew ressistant kind if possible.  also white,
pink, mahogany purple, colors

Myosotis, forget me nots.  Cheap, self seeding seas of blue in spring.
  love it, but remember that it can self seed vigorously.  given the
right spot, there are breathtaking

Nicotiana, annuals are a favorite instead of impatiens.  and
sylvestris the old tall, large tubes of flowers are spectacular

pansys and violas - again a must for the colors and shade gardens.
look for unusual ones since they will self seed

Perilla, self seeding coleus looking very tall, purple/reddish/silver
sheen foliage. Total favorite here

Polemonium, Jacobs ladder, has very pretty foliage, has a new white
flower form that is nice in shade and will self seed

Pulmanaria,  another addictive collectors plant!  for the foliage as
well as the flowers.  Mrs Moon, British Sterling, and EB Anderson are
some favorites

Solomans Seal, the great tall bending stalk of paired(?) leaves which
has bells that hang down in the spring.   A statement when in a clump
(and it does fairly soon)

Veronica- birds eye is a natural here with low matting form and blue
flowers that match forget me nots

Well, that's all folks!  for now!

Bobbie B in MA
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